19 Apr 2021, 12:14 PM

Janša Denies Promoting Break-Up of Bosnia Along Ethnic Lines as Islamist Group Protests in Sarajevo

Updated 18:20

STA, 19 April 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has condemned extremism after members of a radical Islamist group in Bosnia and Herzegovina protested in front of the Slovenian embassy in Sarajevo Sunday over an alleged non-paper linked to Slovenia that speaks about the breakup of Bosnia along ethnic lines.

"Slovenian and other extremists who sow chaos are only causing damage," he said on Twitter after noting that Slovenia had stopped dealing with the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991, when it became independent.

"We wish peace, progress and EU perspective to the remaining countries left on its territory," he said Sunday evening in response to news of the protests.

Z razpadom SFRJ se v Sloveniji (razen tistih, ki jim je bila intimna opcija) ne ukvarjamo več vse od 1991, ko smo odšli na svoje. Ostalim državam, ki so nastale na njenem ozemlju, želimo mir in napredek ter EU perspektivo. SLO in drugi ekstremisti, ki sejejo kaos, pa le škodijo. https://t.co/gB0bYvcfM1
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) April 18, 2021

Media reports suggest a few dozen members of the movement Religion, Nation, Country (Vera, narod, država), formed by a radical cleric, gathered in front of the Slovenian embassy in Sarajevo chanting "Bosnia".

The rally came in the aftermath of multiple media reports implying that Slovenia had circulated a non-paper in the EU on the redrawing of borders in the former Yugoslavia.

In talks with a member of the Bosnian presidency on Friday, Janša said there was no non-paper containing border changes or efforts to undermine Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial integrity that could be linked with the Slovenian government.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed the existence of a non-paper in a TV appearance on Saturday. While he did not say this non-paper was authored by Slovenia, he said he had discussed it with Janša a while ago.

"I have seen the document and discussed it ... with the Slovenian prime minister," he said, adding that he would not comment further on that.

Ne z albanskim PV ne s kom drugim nisva risala ali obravnavala nobenega zemljevida razdeljene Bosne. Nazadnje sem zemljevid z v vojni razdeljeno BiH imel pred sabo maja 1993 na obisku v Pentagonu, ko smo iskali rešitve za zaustavitev oboroženih spopadov.https://t.co/ARrlu486RY
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) April 18, 2021

Responding to Rama's statement, Janša tweeted that "we have not discussed any maps of a divided Bosnia, neither with the Albanian PM nor with anyone else."

"The last time I had in front of me a map of a divided BiH was during a visit to the Pentagon in 1993, when we were looking for solutions to stop the armed conflict."

Document (non-paper) of unclear provenience published by Slovenian online media @necenzurirano_ speculating about the way forward of Western Balkans pic.twitter.com/jvPWK97qs8
— Ilirian Kuka (@1Kuka) April 18, 2021

Foreign Minister Anže Logar also commented on Rama's statement as he spoke to the press after today's online meeting of EU foreign ministers, advising journalists to carefully read it once again; he said Rama's words were better subtitled or translated on commercial broadcaster POP TV than on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija.

What Rama said is just that he had discussed the issue of the Western Balkans with Janša, which is logical, said Logar, adding that reviving a debate on the alleged non-paper benefited neither Bosnia-Herzegovina nor Slovenia. The debate is in fact "very harmful to Slovenia".

"In this respect everyone should see for themselves what is more in their interest - to engage in political propaganda or make the best they can for Slovenia to do its EU presidency well and achieve progress in the Western Balkans field."

He believes those engaging in "spreading non-truths and half-truths" should ask themselves what consequences that could have. He pointed to the Sarajevo protest, which brought together extremists, while groups demanding a boycott of Slovenian goods are emerging online.

The minister said that both Prime Minister Janša and President Borut Pahor had denied the existence of any such document, so he had nothing to add to that.

He however avoided answering directly the question about Slovenia's stances on changing the borders in the Western Balkans when asked whether Slovenia agreed with the solutions in the alleged non-paper.

He said Slovenia's stance is very clear - it wants to do all in its power to achieve progress towards the EU as fast as possible under the condition that Western Balkan countries met membership criteria. As part of its EU presidency, Slovenia also wants to highlight the strategic importance the region's integration in the EU has.

As for the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, Logar said the five EU members which had not yet recognised Kosovo said clearly that a solution which both sides would agree with would mean the reason for non-recognition had been eliminated. Logar said he did not wish to speculate any further, leaving diplomacy to do its job.

He said any statement would be premature and could harm the dialogue between the two entities, but hailed the fact that both Kosovo and Serbia had strong governments, while adding that no progress could be made without the US and EU's consent.

More stories on Slovenia and the Western Balkans

19 Apr 2021, 04:48 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 19 April 2021

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Nearly 480 tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, six died

LJUBLJANA - Out of a total of 2,620 PCR tests performed in Slovenia on Saturday, 478 came back with a positive result and six people died. The rolling 7-day average of new daily cases dropped by nine to 792, NIJZ data showed. The number of hospitalisations increased by two over Friday to 631. Both the number of hospitalisations and the rolling seven-day average put Slovenia in the orange tier of the government's traffic-light restrictions plan.

Energy consumption down 13% in 2019 on 2008

LJUBLJANA - Energy consumption dropped by 13% in 2019 compared to 2008 mainly due to a downward trend detected during the financial crisis, data by the Statistics Office (SURS) showed. Energy consumption in 2019 totalled 300,188 terajoules based on the net domestic energy model. The decline was sharpest between 2008 and 2015, a period marked by the financial crisis. What followed was a gradual increase, however the 2008 level was still not reached in 2019.

Pandemic slashes Q1 passenger numbers at Ljubljana airport

BRNIK - Just over 18,360 people travelled through the Jože Pučnik Airport Ljubljana in the first three months of the year, a significant drop over nearly 191,640 in the same period of last year, which was in the most part still unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic. Fraport Slovenija, the airport operator, expects this summer season to be better than last year's, but the results will depend on the epidemiological situation in Slovenia and individual destinations.

ASEF honours astronaut Williams

LJUBLJANA - The American-Slovenian Educational Foundation (ASEF) honoured Sunita Williams, an astronaut of Slovenian descent, with the lifetime achievement award at its annual gala Saturday evening. The 55-year-old, who has visited Slovenia several times, spent a total of 322 days in space during her two stays at the International Space Stations, during one of which she became the first person to run a marathon in space. The online event was addressed by President Borut Pahor.

Two painters win Jakopič Prize for lifetime achievements

LJUBLJANA - Painters Milena Usenik and Franc Novinc were named this year's winners of the Rihar Jakopič Prize for lifetime achievements, the top national award in fine arts and visual art. The 2021 Jakopič Prize will meanwhile go into the hands of painter Silvester Plotajs Sicoe, the judging panel decided last week. It is yet unclear when the awards will be given out, as the event will depend on the epidemiological situation in the country.

Slovenian library in Gorizia back in original premises

GORIZIA, Italy - The Slovenian library in the Italian border town of Gorizia has moved back to the building where it first opened in 1906. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, on Monday the library will welcome readers back in Trgovski Dom (Merchant Hall), a building built by Slovenian businesses at the start of the 20th century.

Hojs home walkway defaced

LJUBLJANA - A walkway leading up to the home of Interior Minister Aleš Hojs was deface Saturday afternoon by an unknown vandal who sprayed the words "Liar (Hojs)" on the paving stones. Hojs shared the image on Twitter last evening. "This afternoon at our doorstep. Intolerance, madness of the leftists is getting worse," he tweeted.

Poll indicates third of Slovenians want to get vaccinated as soon as possible

LJUBLJANA - A third of respondents in the most recent Parsifal public opinion poll commissioned by Nova24TV have said they will get vaccinated for coronavirus as soon as possible. The share is lower than in January, when 47% said they would get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity, but the most recent poll also shows that 20% of respondents had already been vaccinated. The poll also showed that 24.3% of respondents will wait with the jab until they see the effects of vaccines, while 21.5% said they do not intend to get inoculated against coronavirus.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

18 Apr 2021, 17:19 PM

Winners of Jakopič Prize for Lifetime Achievement, 2021 Named

STA, 18 April 2021 - Painters Milena Usenik and Franc Novinc are this year's winners of the Rihar Jakopič Prize for lifetime achievements, the top national award in fine arts and visual art. The 2021 Jakopič Prize will meanwhile go into the hands of painter Silvester Plotajs Sicoe, the judging panel decided last week.

It is yet unclear when the awards will be given out, as the event will depend on the epidemiological situation in the country.

This year, 27 artists have been nominated for the Jakopič Prize and the judging panel decided to take more time than usual to decide on the winners.

Because there had been so many nominations, the judging panel decided to give out not only the Jakopič Prize, an annual award, but also two lifetime achievement awards of equal significance.

It also decided to give special commendations to painters Uršula Berlot and sculptor Paola Korošec.

Even though it is not yet clear when the award ceremony will take place, an exhibition honouring Usenik, Novinc and Plotajs Sicoe will be staged between 22 April and 15 May at the Gallery of the Slovenian Association of Fine Arts Societies.

Named after Rihard Jakopič (1869-1943), a pioneer of Slovenian Impressionism, the Jakopič Prize was first given out in 1969 by the Association of Slovenian Artists, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Museum of Modern Art.

You can see and buy some of Plotajs Silvester Sicoe's work here, and Franc Novinc's work here. We don't know where to buy anything from Milena Usenik.

18 Apr 2021, 17:15 PM

Judo: Trstenjak Wins Gold at European Championships, Leški Bronze

STA, 17 April 2021 - Slovenian judoka Tina Trstenjak won gold at the European Judo Championships 2021 in the women's 63 kg event in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday. She won against Russia's Daria Davydova. Fellow Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški got a bronze in the same category earlier.

Trstenjak, an Olympic champion at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, got the better of Davydova at the end of the match after a demanding contest.

Imamo evropsko prvakinjo!!!??? Tina Trstenjak je osvojila naslov ?evropske prvakinje? v kategoriji do 63 kilogramov, to je njen že tretji naslov!??? Andreja Leški je v isti kategoriji osvojila bronasto? kolajno??? ?
Več: https://t.co/ynY69WkF3e pic.twitter.com/RxzY1kK5oF
— Judo zveza Slovenije (@judoSLO) April 17, 2021

The 30-year-old already has two gold medals from the European Championships in 2017 and 2016. She was also a world champion in 2015.

Slovenia's Andreja Leški meanwhile claimed bronze in the women's 63 kg or half-middleweight event at this year's European Championships, having beaten Poland's Agata Ozdoba-Blach.

The 24-year-old Leški bagged one of the bronze medals in her event at the 2021 Judo World Masters held in Doha, Qatar.

Yesterday, Kaja Kajzer won the silver medal in the women's 57 kg competition.

18 Apr 2021, 04:34 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 18 April 2021

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia to send recovery plan to EU Commission by end of month

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia will send its recovery plan to the European Commission by the end of April or before the deadline, Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj said on Friday evening. He expects that the country will forward the plan to Brussels in the last week of April. Slovenia presented its plan at Friday's virtual session of the EU's Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Šircelj said. The minister believes that Slovenia has prepared a plan that complies with all the requirements.

Covid numbers continue to improve

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 766 new coronavirus infections on Friday in what was a third day in a row that the daily case count dropped significantly in weekly comparison. Therefore, the 7-day average of new daily cases continued to fall, standing at 801. Another six Covid-19 patients died, showed latest government data. Hospitalisations decreased by ten to 629 and the number of patients in intensive care was down by one to 151. A total of 3,752 PCR tests were conducted, of which 20.4% returned positive results, which compared to 26.5% on the same day a week ago.

Trstenjak wins gold at European Judo Championships, Leški bronze

LISBON, Portugal - Slovenian judoka Tina Trstenjak won gold at the European Judo Championships 2021 in the women's 63 kg event in Lisbon, Portugal. She won against Russia's Daria Davydova. Fellow Slovenian judoka Andreja Leški got a bronze in the same category, having beaten Poland's Agata Ozdoba-Blach.

Hojs talks EU presidency and illegal migration with Italian counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs discussed the priorities of Slovenia's coming EU presidency with Italian counterpart Luciana Lamorgese via videoconference on Friday. Noting that cooperation between the Italian and Slovenian interior ministries was good, the pair also talked about illegal migration. They agreed that a joint and comprehensive solution should be reached on EU level to tackle the issue. In terms of security, Slovenia's EU presidency will focus on providing a high level of security in the EU mostly through boosted police cooperation as well as on strengthening security in the Western Balkans, Hojs said.

Police visited STA chief supervisor due to a number of reports

LJUBLJANA - The police is leading an investigation to determine whether there are elements of suspected criminal acts prosecutable ex officio based on allegations of irregularities regarding the STA, the police told the STA. Investigators visited STA chief supervisor Mladen Terčelj based on a number of reports of these allegations and not based on a government decree adopted in March, the police said. The police highlighted that Terčelj was visited by Ljubljana Police Department investigators and not by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigators as had been reported earlier.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

17 Apr 2021, 15:13 PM

What Mladina & Reporter Are Saying This Week: Balkan Borders vs DeSUS

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 16 April 2021. All our stories about coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Mladina: Creation of instability in Balkans trap for EU

STA, 16 April 2021 - The left-wing weekly Mladina says in its editorial on Friday that the Balkan border redrawing idea is a trap for the EU set by a coalition of countries trying to gain more power. The weekly hopes that this time, Brussels and EU member states will respond correctly, unlike in the past when they continued to give in to the likes of Hungarian PM Orban.

"Even though it seems that the non-paper about Slovenia's view of the future of Bosnia-Herzegovina still has not been found... everything is clear. Foreign Minister Anže Logar admitted an alliance had emerged between Zagreb, Belgrade and Ljubljana," writes Mladina's editor-in-chief Grega Repovž.

Leaders of the three countries are clearly talking about the future of Bosnia, but without representatives of the country itself, the weekly says, illustrating Croatia's and Serbia's interests in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"But the bigger picture is more important." Bulgaria, Cyprus and Greece, all Orthodox countries, have also joined the initiative. "And above all Hungary. So what is Ljubljana doing in this company?"

There is a clear plan behind all of this: a way to set up an illiberal European alliance. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the circle he built around himself are laying a trap for the EU by creating the threat of instability in the Balkans.

Mladina speculates under the headline Trap that Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely behind this. "This is an alliance of interests, not of political love." But the interests are not geo-strategic, Putin wants power to put pressure on and destabilise Europe, just like Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been doing, using Syria.

However, the EU has not yet come to realise truly how dangerous a politician Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Janša is. Nobody is truly worried about Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency, they still believe that he can be reckoned with, that he can be controlled. "How willingly do European politicians repeat this mistake!"

But Janša is no longer a lone rider from a small country, he is a part of a bigger game now. Owing to his political debt toward Orban, he will likely be the one through whom the game will be played out in the coming months, a game that can end poorly for the EU.

In the past, the EU has bought peace from such problems and politicians with money, only allowing them to grow stronger. Now, they are using Bosnia-Herzegovina to lay a trap for the EU, not to destroy it but to benefit from it - to get money and have peace while they undermine democracy in their countries. Bosnia is only a victim in this game.

The weekly hopes that this creation of instability in the Balkans will be a wake-up call for Europe.

"They should think back to what Erdogan did to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen when she visited last week. He did it because he could. Next time such a demonstration of power can happen to her in Europe," the paper says in reference to a situation when von der Leyen was left without a chair in a meeting.

Reporter: DeSUS Has Nothing to Offer Rebel MPs

STA, 12 April - The right-wing magazine Reporter reflects on the latest row between the leadership of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and its rebel MPs, finding the party has nothing left to offer to the MPs.

Under the headline Fight, the weekly says Franc Jurša, the head of the DeSUS deputy faction, is right in a way when he says he does not deserve to be spanked with a stick after interim party leader Brigita Čokl raised her voice against misbehaving MPs.

"His and the conduct of other DeSUS MPs [...] is not mischievous. The mature men know well what they are doing and are not ignoring the party or making it problems out of mischief [...].

"The party has got nothing left to offer to the trio who are determined to survive the remaining year and a few months in parliament and then leave active politics. Voting along the opposition's lines could lead to a snap election, something DeSUS MPs are not ready for as they are not planning to retire before 2022."

The paper goes on to say that the ruling coalition too is trying to discipline DeSUS MPs, noting that Jurša has been accused of 'betraying' the coalition in its attempt to replace Igor Zorčič with Jožef Horvat as the National Assembly speaker, allegedly because Jurša and Horvat dislike each other.

"Consequently there appeared a bizarre allegation that Igor Zorčič would come to put DeSUS in order and take over the party. Why would a politician who quit one dying party, defect to another is not clear to anyone, not least to Zorčič."

The paper does not know how seriously Jurša took the story about Zorčič's arrival, but does know that Jožef Horvat did take the rumour of the dislike between him and Jurša seriously enough to tell several media last week that him and Jurša are not at odds. "And I also get along well with Hungarian MP Ferenc Horvath, Horvat underscored although he was not even asked about that."

All our posts in this series are here

17 Apr 2021, 13:30 PM

Last Week in Slovenia: 9 - 15 April 2021

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 9 April
        LJUBLJANA - The government overhauled the colour-coded strategy of coronavirus restrictions as the 1-11 April circuit-breaker lockdown was about to end, softening some rules applying to each of the five tiers and abolishing the night curfew as of 12 April. The epidemic was extended by another 30 days from 17 April.
        LJUBLJANA - The government extended the partial wage subsidy for furloughed workers into May to reduce the risk of layoffs due to the Covid-19 epidemic. The extension is to cost the state some EUR 31.5 million, with an estimated 45,000 employees to be included.
        LJUBLJANA - The government set up a strategic council for digitalisation as an advisory body to the prime minister. The new council is headed by Mark Boris Andrijanič of US ride hailing platform Uber.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Public Health received almost 3,820 reports of side effects after 404,000 Covid-19 vaccinations. In 16 cases, serious side effects were reported after vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine, but link to the vaccine was not confirmed.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported EUR 3 billion worth of goods in February, up 2.6% year on year, and imported EUR 2.7 billion, down 2.2%. The export-import ratio reached 109.7% for the third highest monthly surplus in the last decade, the Statistic Office said. The country's industry meanwhile contracted at an annual rate of 1.5%.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia Sovereign Holding (SSH) published a takeover bid for spa operator Terme Olimia, offering EUR 27.50 per share for the shares the state does not own yet. The move is part of the government's efforts to pool tourism companies under one roof.
        ČRNOMELJ - An unknown perpetrator threw a petrol bomb though the window of the house of a local councillor for the opposition LMŠ in Črnomelj, Vesna Fabjan, but nobody was hurt in the fire, which was put out quickly. Senior Slovenian officials strongly condemned the incident.

SATURDAY, 10 April
        LJUBLJANA - The outdoor mask mandate was ended. Masks must now be worn only if a sufficient physical social distance cannot be observed.
        LJUBLJANA - The Culture Ministry confirmed media reports that comparative literature expert Aleš Vaupotič was appointed the new director of Moderna Galerija, the national museum of modern and contemporary art. His five-year term started on 6 April.
        MARIBOR - Around 400 people gathered in Freedom Square to protest against the government's measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, criticising the announced self-testing for the coronavirus in schools, continued closure of bars and restaurants and face mask wearing.
        BILBAO, Spain - Cyclist Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) won the Tour of the Basque Country for the second time in his career, with his younger compatriot Tadej Pogačar finishing third.

MONDAY, 12 April
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia entered the red stage of coronavirus restrictions under an overhauled traffic-light system after an eleven-day lockdown. The night curfew was lifted after nearly six months, most shops and other services reopened, including museums, galleries and libraries, and pupils went back to school.
        LJUBLJANA - Some changes to entry in Slovenia without quarantine or a negative PCR test were introduced to include accredited journalists and persons who enter for emergency reasons, while Austria was red-listed. A negative test produced at a border crossing can now also come from the US and UK.
        LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 vaccination task force at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) decided the AstraZeneca vaccine will be administered to everyone over 18 without any restrictions, after the European Medicines Agency found no connection with side effects to either age or gender.
        SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovin/LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Zorica Bukinac was summoned to the Bosnian Foreign Ministry after Bosnian media reported PM Janez Janša sent to the EU a non-paper on re-writing of borders in the Western Balkans. Janša denied the claim and the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said the only non paper on the Western Balkans Slovenia had joined was Croatia's from the end of last year.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission was on a virtual visit to Slovenia in preparation for its second Rule of Law Report, due in July, to obtain additional information or clear up any issues after the country submitted its assessment of the situation in late March.
        LJUBLJANA - A review of a number of closed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) cases that was ordered by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs last year found zero mistakes or shortcomings in the audited police work, shows a report obtained by news portal 24ur.com.
        LJUBLJANA - In a bid to resolve the financing dispute, STA director Bojan Veselinovič offered the government access to all books of account and documents, even though the STA had never received a formal request to that effect. He said the government should say, in writing, who would access the documents on its behalf and in what way.
        TREBNJE - The sub-zero temperatures that hit Slovenia last week could result in EUR 40-50 million in damage caused to fruit and wine growers, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek estimated as he continued visiting the frost-stricken areas. He announced state aid for the affected farmers.

TUESDAY, 13 April
        MARIBOR/LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest two vaccination centres repirted massive cancellations by those due to get an AstraZeneca vaccine. Half of those invited turned down the jab in Maribor and a third in Ljubljana, the local community health centres said. Bojana Beović, the head of the national immunisation advisory commission, expressed surprise considering the vaccine involves no risk for the age group in principle.
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar noted the significance of enhanced cooperation between the EU and the US in the changed international and security environment, as he took part in an online international conference called the Raisina Dialogue.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission opened an in-depth investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Slovenian maker of prefabricated construction elements Trimo by the Irish Kingspan Group over concerns that the transaction may reduce competition and lead to price increases.
        LJUBLJANA - The Trade Union of Transport and Communications Workers came out against legislative changes that would provide a legal basis for ride hailing platforms such as Uber. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said the goal was to make transport services cheaper and more modern.

WEDNESDAY, 14 April
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar told the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee that Slovenia's strategy on the Western Balkans had not changed as he responded to a question about an alleged non-paper on the Western Balkans PM Janez Janša was supposed to have sent to Brussels.
        ROME, Italy - President Borut Pahor and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella called for completing the process of returning National Home, a Slovenian centre in Trieste, to the Slovenian minority in Italy as soon as possible as they met in Rome.
        LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and European Commissioner for Justice and Consumer Protection Didier Reynders discussed the priorities of Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency in terms of consumer protection. Počivalšek said Slovenia supports an ambitious take on the bloc's consumer policy.
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan pledged Slovenia's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with the EU's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as he took part in a virtual EU-Brazil event on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development.
        LJUBLJANA - Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti held an online talk with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović to discuss media freedom and the freedom of expression. The ministry said Simoniti had assured the commissioner the Slovenian government thinks media freedom is crucial.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government decided to allow hospitality establishments in eight of Slovenia's twelve statistical regions to serve guests at outdoor tables from 7am to 7pm starting from 19 April. It added the Sputnik and Johnson&Johnson vaccines to the list of vaccines the vaccination with which exempts a person from having to quarantine or get tested upon entering Slovenia. It also decided to give over 10,000 unemployed who have lost job since the coronavirus epidemic was first declared in March 2020 a one-off solidarity allowance of EUR 150.
        LJUBLJANA - The college of deputy group leaders voted not to allow four independent MPs - three defectors from the coalition SMC, including Speaker Igor Zorčič, and one from the opposition DeSUS - to take part in parliamentary bodies. Voting against their participation were all three coalition parties as well as the opposition SNS and DeSUS plus one minority MP. The centre-left coalition fears this is an attack on parliamentary democracy.
        LJUBLJANA - After failing to muster support in parliament to dismiss Education Minister Simona Kustec in mid-March, the four centre-left opposition parties mounted a new attempt to have the minister either resign or be replaced, arguing she had let down her brief and the groups she is responsible for.

THURSDAY, 15 April
        LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court said it had cleared a law securing EUR 780 million in investments in the Slovenian Armed Forces in 2021-2026 as well as parliament's decision not to allow a referendum on the law. It argued the National Assembly and the government had reasonably grounded the urgency of the investments and the decision not to allow the referendum.
        LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court stayed the implementation of a government decree that temporarily bans public gatherings and events arguing that a new decree should be adopted with due consideration of the right to gatherings being a fundamental human right and an important means of expressing political opinions.
        LJUBLJANA - The online portal Necenzurirano published a non-paper proposing changes to borders in the Western Balkans that has been raising controversy in recent days. While its authorship remains unclear, "some information indicates part of the content has been written in Budapest. Nevertheless, it is referred to in Brussels diplomatic circles as a 'Slovenian' non-paper as allegedly the Janša office has been involved in its mailing to various addresses," wrote the portal.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly hosted the 17th conference of parliamentary speakers from the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative as part of Slovenia's presidency of the initiative. President Borut Pahor said in his address the group was an important leverage of regional cooperation and European integration of Western Balkan countries.

17 Apr 2021, 08:26 AM

European Jewish Association Calls for Social Democrats to Return Villa to Jewish Community

STA, 16 April 2021 - The European Jewish Association has called on Social Democrats (SD) leader Tanja Fajon to right a historic injustice and return the villa in Ljubljana where the party has its headquarters to the Slovenian Jewish community.

The SD is headquartered in a villa that used to be owned by Jewish merchant Felix Moskovic. He and his family were taken to Auschwitz and other extermination camps, where they were killed.

In a letter to Fajon first published by Siol.net, the association's president Rabbi Menachem Margolin says that following their deaths, the property was sold "under questionable conditions, nationalised, and then used by high-level communist party organisations during the Yugoslav era."

"It has come to our attention that there has previously been a discussion regarding the transfer of Mr. Moskovic's property ... to the Slovenian Jewish community as part of a settlement on communal and heirless property once held by Slovenian Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

"We believe this would be an appropriate, just, and moral use of Mr. Moskovic's home and a righting of a historic wrong," Margolin says, hopeful that the SD "will recognize the symbolic and emotional unsustainability of the status quo and will work with us to change it."

The SD's ownership of the building has often come up in public debate in recent months, in particular in allegations by the ruling Democrats (SDS), who have come to call it "the stolen villa".

The SD has said the villa had been owned by the state before the party took ownership of it via an exchange contract involving a different building that the party had owned before.

In a lengthy explanation on its website, the party also says the villa had been sold to the state in 1961 by a woman who had previously bought it from a heir of the Moskovics.

SD leader Tanja Fajon has dismissed the allegations the party stole the villa as "nasty attempts at discreditation" lobbed by the current prime minister.

Fajon responded to the call, inviting Rabbi Margolin for a "talk and a review of facts". She rejected the notion that the ownership of the villa was disputable.

A similar invitation was sent to the European Jewish Congress, the umbrella organisation of Jewish associations in Europe, and the Slovenian Jewish Community.

"The history of the transfer of ownership ... is completely clear from the legal and historical aspects. After the tragic death of the Moskovic family, the villa was inherited by their legal heir, who soon sold it to a new owner, who sold it to the state in 1961."

"The SD party became the lawful owner of the house in 1993 based on a deed of gift and exchange. It has settled its relations with the Slovenian Jewish Community in that regard," the statement adds.

Fajon noted that the documentation on ownership of the building has been published on the party's website. "Only by showing all relevant documents transparently it is possible to reject the obvious lies that are the most diligently spread by Prime Minister Janez Janša."

In the letter to Margolin, the SD president also said that "our deep respect to victims of the Holocaust and all victims of Nazism and Fascism stems first and foremost from our history and tradition."

Fajon added that the SD has also paid respects to Felix and Klara Moskovic and their children with a memorial plaque to the victims of the Holocaust that was put on the front facade of the party's headquarters in August 2018.

17 Apr 2021, 08:13 AM

Dark Web Crypto Drug Dealers Busted With 400kg of Illicit Substances Near Maribor, Ljubljana

STA, 16 April 2021 - Criminal police officers from Murska Sobota, north-east, have concluded an investigation resulting in the arrest of four persons suspected of drug trafficking on the dark web and seizure of 400 kilos of illicit substances in what is one of the largest drug busts in Slovenia ever.

The investigation concluded on Tuesday with house searches at three locations, two in the Maribor area and one in the Ljubljana area, and involving the four suspects aged from 28 to 43, the police said on its website on Friday.

The suspects, who are believed to have gained at least EUR 3 million with the scheme, were brought before an investigating judge on Thursday and then detained. The four have no previous criminal record related to drug trafficking.

The 15-month investigation included covert measures and cooperation with the police from Germany, Austria and Estonia. Five kilos of various illicit drugs and more than 4,500 ecstasy pills were also seized abroad in the process.

The suspected criminals had a well organised network all around the world for drug trafficking that took place exclusively in marketplaces on the dark web. Payments were made exclusively in cryptocurrencies.

The police has assessed the bust as a large step forward as it was the first time for criminal police officers from the north-eastern region of Pomurje to encounter large-scale drug trafficking on the dark web.

Transactions were not made in person so there weas no physical contact between the buyer and seller, making the investigation much more difficult.

The leader of the gang sold and marketed a variety of illicit drugs in various quantities, and he had a price list. He communicated with the buyers, prepared packages and took care of the supply of ingredients for amphetamine.

The remaining members were sending packages to the buyers almost exclusively by mail. In some cases, they even delivered illicit drugs personally, mostly in Austria.

The perpetrators concealed their activity in various ways, including by carefully picking the packaging in which the shipments were sent. They for instance used containers for food supplements and made it look as if it was original packaging.

Cocaine was sold at EUR 40,000 a kilo, heroin at EUR 9,000 a kilo, methamphetamine at EUR 16,000 a kilo, amphetamine base at EUR 1,300 a kilo, while the price of an ecstasy pill ranged from one to two euros, depending on the quantity.

According to the police, the delivered drugs were of excellent quality and purity, enabling the buyers to cut them for further sale.

The investigation of the dark web profile of the gang leader showed that he had sold more than EUR 600,000 in drugs on only one marketplace between April 2018 and July 2020. The suspects also sold drugs on other dark web marketplaces.

17 Apr 2021, 04:37 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 17 April 2021

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor rejects "naive and dangerous" ideas of redrawing W Balkan borders

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor rejected "naive and dangerous" ideas of redrawing borders in the Western Balkans as he addressed reporters in response to a non-paper floating the idea, arguing the EU's accelerated enlargement to the region would best silence such ideas. Pahor said that "wherever and whenever" he got the opportunity he expressed his resolute support for the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans, arguing it would be best if the EU decided "to include, in a sensibly short time, all Western Balkan countries in the EU and adapt its enlargement strategy accordingly".

Janša tells Džaferović there is no Slovenian non-paper

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša rang up Šefik Džaferović, the Bosniak member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina presidency, to explain there is no non-paper containing border changes or efforts to undermine Bosnia's territorial integrity that could be linked with the Slovenian government. The Bosnian presidency says on its website Janša said Slovenia supported Bosnia's sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as its Euro-Atlantic integration. Janša's office confirmed the talk for the STA, but as for its content, it only said that the pair "discussed preparations for an informal EU summit on the Western Balkans during Slovenia's EU presidency".

Four bidders buy wireless frequency bands for EUR 164m

LJUBLJANA - The Agency for Communication Networks and Services (AKOS) concluded a wireless spectrum auction as part of which it also offered frequency bands for 5G mobile networks. It has fetched EUR 164.2 million as all four bidders - A1 Slovenija, Telekom Slovenije, Telemach and T-2 - have been awarded frequency bands. All bands are intended for providing mobile services to end users and are technologically neutral. They have been awarded for 15 years, with the possibility of extension for another five years in case of legislative changes.

Gatherings of up to 100 people allowed from Monday

LJUBLJANA - Gatherings of up to 100 people indoor or outdoor will be permitted under a government decree adopted today in response to a Constitutional Court decision staying the blanket ban on public assembly. Physical distancing will be mandatory, with masks mandatory only indoors, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs announced. The decree was expected to be published in the Official Gazette tonight and will enter into force on 19 April. Hojs however stressed that any gatherings must be registered with the authorities under the law, but special permission from the National Institute of Public Health would not be necessary.

Sustainable financing of Slovenia's media endangered, says Jourova

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša does not take Slovenia's international reputation seriously enough, European Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova told news portal Euractiv. Sustainable media financing in Slovenia is endangered, particularly when it comes to the STA, she said, pointing out that she had raised concerns over the developments in recent discussions with Slovenian ministers.

Coronavirus curve keeps falling

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 860 coronavirus cases for Thursday, as the daily case count dropped significantly for the second straight day compared with the same day a week ago. As a result, the rolling 7-day average of new cases fell to 871 from 931 the day before, fresh data from the government show. Five Covid-19 fatalities were reported, and hospitalisations rose by 15 to 639 despite 50 patients being discharged. The number of intensive care unit cases rose by two to 152. A total of 4,253 PCR tests were performed, of which 20.2% returned positive results.

Advisors recommend pre-emptive purchase of unapproved vaccines

LJUBLJANA - The vaccination advisory commission at the National Institute for Public Health recommended Slovenia also purchase all Covid-19 vaccines that are still waiting for approval of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), including Russia's Sputnik. Its head Bojana Beović said the vaccines would be kept in quarantine warehouses, so that they can be used immediately after clearance. Final-year secondary school pupils will meanwhile have a chance to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as early as next Friday ahead of the school-leaving matura examinations due to begin in May under an upgraded national vaccination strategy adopted on Thursday.

Central bank finds credit and income risks increasing

LJUBLJANA - The liquidity of the Slovenian banking system is currently favourable, but the trends are not, the central bank said in its latest report. With macro-economic risks, high credit and income risks are coming into the forefront, Banka Slovenije deputy governor Primož Dolenc said at an online presentation of the Report on Financial Stability. Fresh data show that all groups of activities that are not affected by coronavirus measures are recovering and that companies have significantly adjusted to the challenging situation. However, the uncertainty of economic prospects is being increased by the third wave of the epidemic.

Pahor and Duda talk climate

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor endorsed Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda's desire to speak on behalf of all Central European presidents at next week's online climate summit hosted by US President Joe Biden, as the pair had a telephone conversation. Pahor's office said the Slovenian president saw the idea as logical given that two years ago, Duda hosted a COP24 summit in Katowice, which Pahor also attended. The presidents also discussed efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, while Duda invited Pahor to visit Poland as soon as possible once the epidemic is over.

400 kilos of drugs seized as four dark web traffickers busted

MURSKA SOBOTA - Criminal police officers from Murska Sobota, north-east, concluded on Tuesday an investigation resulting in the arrest of four persons aged 28 to 43 suspected of drug trafficking on the dark web and seizure of 400 kilos of illicit substances in what is one of the largest drug busts in Slovenia ever. The suspects, who are believed to have gained at least EUR 3 million with the scheme, were brought before an investigating judge on Thursday and then detented. The four have no previous criminal record related to drug trafficking.

Interim chief executive director of bad bank appointed

LJUBLJANA - Non-executive directors of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) appointed Robert Rožič interim chief executive director for a period of six months, effective on 21 April. Matej Pirc in Dimitrij Piciga remain executive directors, while Andraž Grum will end his term on 20 April, the bad bank said. In the next six months, procedures will be carried out for the selection of a full-fledged chief executive director.

Transfer to Fortenova close as loan deal signed to restructure Mercator's debt

ZAGREB, Croatia - Croatian group Fortenova and Slovenian retailer Mercator signed a contract under which the latter will get a EUR 385 million loan to restructure its debt to creditor banks, in a move that further enables the transfer of the Slovenian retailer from the bankrupt former owner Agrokor to Fortenova. Fortenova said Mercator's debt to a total of 55 banks would be replaced by the group's bonds, based on which the US fund HPS Partners and the Russian bank VTB Europe will secure EUR 385 million for restructuring. "After the bond-issuing procedure is finalised, Mercator shares will be transferred to the Fortenova group," added the group that will become the owner of a 88% stake of Mercator.

NBI visits STA's chief supervisor

LJUBLJANA - The head of the STA supervisory board, Mladen Terčelj, confirmed for the STA he had been visited by investigators of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday. He said he had not yet talked to the investigators and stressed he had great confidence in the rule of law and the NBI. The police told the newspaper Dnevnik the NBI was leading a pretrial procedure based on a reported criminal offence but would not reveal any more details. The General Police Department confirmed for the paper that the investigation was thus not based merely on a government decree adopted in March.

European Jewish Association calls for return of SocDem villa to Jewish community

LJUBLJANA - The European Jewish Association has called on Social Democrat (SD) leader Tanja Fajon to right a historic injustice and return the villa in Ljubljana where the party has its headquarters to the Slovenian Jewish community. The SD is headquartered in a villa that used to be owned by Jewish merchant Felix Moskovic, who was killed during WWII. Responding to the letter, first published by siol.net, Fajon invited Rabbi Menachem Margolin for a "talk and a review of facts", but rejected the notion the ownership of the villa was disputable. She sent a similar invitation to the European Jewish Congress and and the Slovenian Jewish Community.

Mediana poll shows more dissatisfaction with Slovenia's course

LJUBLJANA - An increasing number of people in Slovenia believe that things are not going in the right direction, a public opinion survey by pollster Mediana shows. The number of those unhappy the way things are going has nearly doubled from the same period last year, reaching 67%. The share of those believing things in Slovenia are going in the right direction has meanwhile dropped from 32% a year ago to 13%.

Kajzer wins European judo silver for best career result

LISBON, Portugal - Slovenian judoka Kaja Kajzer won the silver medal in the women's 57kg category at the European Judo Championships in Portugal's Lisbon, having to concede to Telma Monteiro from the host nation in an extra session in the finals. In what is the greatest career achievement so far for the 21-year-old Ljubljana native, Kajzer was on the verge of sensation as she put up a good fight against the bronze-medallist from the last Summer Olympic Games almost to the very end.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

News

Editorial

Gourmet

Photo of the Month

Photo galleries and videos

Real Estate in Slovenia